Hearts of Ice
by shikaboo
Summary: It's funny, how easily your life can be changed and flipped upside down, sideways, every which way by just one person. How did she change me by just that smile? By just being in my arms? Toshiro/OC
1. Chapter 1

HEARTS OF ICE

A Toshiro Hitsugaya fanfic

SOOOOOOO, hey everyone ^_^. This is my first Toshiro fanfic. I hope you all review...ok please review? PLEASEEEEE?...0_o I will give you virtual toshiro hugs XD

Toshiro: =O WHAT?

Shikaboo: ^/^ nothiiiing...*whispers* He'll do it don't worry

Toshiro: . I can still hear you

Shikaboo: ._. oh...WELLLLL ANYWAYS! I do not own Bleach D= (sad moment) BUT! I do own my OC Tora and all my other made up characters ^_^ which you shall meet now and throughout the chapters, okay well enjoy ^_^

Prologue

The moon shines brightly from its position in the middle of the sky. The town of Karakura bathed in the ominous silver moonlight. Two figures sit, concealed, atop a shadowed rooftop. Their red hair gently stirred in the midnight breeze.

"Ryuu, do you sense it?," one figure asks, whispering urgently to the other. Nodding, Ryuu lifts his hand to signal their eight hidden comrades. The matching brown eyes of the figures lock in a silent agreement as they slowly draw their zanpakutos. The first figure's white captain garb shifts as she raises to watch the stretching and distorting night sky. Silently, all ten figures bunch their muscles in anticipation, an anxious air surrounding them all.

Suddenly, the indigo sky rips apart, releasing the hideous death masked monsters. Dozens, no hundreds of the bone masked creatures leap and float through the sky aiming for the released reiatsu of the ten shinigami. "There's so many, Ryuu-chan." Ryuu slowly nods his head, red hair falling into his face. "We need to go now, send the signal." He nods curtly, and raises his blade to the silver streaks of the moon. The light shimmers quickly before he withdraws his sword to his side once again. Swiftly, all ten shadowed figures stalk towards the monsters. The hollow.

"Are you ready Tora-taicho?," Ryuu whispers, glancing at the growing armada of hollow. She just smiles, a fanged tooth creating a devious air. "Oh, you have no idea." Smiling once more, Tora raises her sword and leaps into the air. Her battle cry echoes, drawing all attention to her. "DIE HOLLOW SCUM!," Ryuu and Tora shout simultaneously, each slicing the masks of two hollow. Twisting and turning below the moonlight, the twin warriors destroy and slice every oncoming hollow. The ashes of their deaths only creating a mystical aura to their deadly dance.

The battle continues on, cries and blood curdling screams filling the night air. "Ryuu-chan, to your right!," Tora yells, dragging her katana from the belly of a hollow to the tip of its mask. "Yeah yeah, I got it." He quickly flips, slicing the mask of the hollow only to sink his zanpakuto into the face of another. A sickening crack echoes through the sky, then suddenly a scream of pure white agony fills the air.

All seems to freeze. Tora's lithe body slowly turns, her eyes widening as the blood trailing through the air as it follows its master. "HAKUMEI!" Everything begins to move again, almost lightning fast. The blood gently soaks through the ground, staining the dead shinigami's blond hair as her pale green eyes gaze at nothing. Kneeling next to her, Tora lifts her cold body and cuddles it to her. Leaping away, she places the taller woman in a safe area. "Rest in peace, my dear friend." Her brown eyes sweep the ashen face of her fallen comrade once more before she flash steps, rejoining her dancing battle with death once again.

Ryuu's body flies through the air, slicing and hacking the murderous beasts before landing beside his sister. "Tora, there are hundreds of them! Look," they both glare into the sky, watching as even more monsters enter through the teeth-like-gateways. "There's still more coming through!" His scream echoes in his sister's ear as she watches, horrorstricken, as more and more hollow fill the sky. "Oh gods," she mutters, the sickening realization hitting her like a ton of bricks. "They knew, oh gods, it's an ambush!"

The seven remaining shinigami freeze, staring at their captain with wide eyes. "Don't just stare at me! FIGHT!" Snapping out of their shock, they nod and raise their zanpakutos back into position. "Wait, everyone, go shikai! All of you, now!" Leaping, they all shout the commands and names of their own spiritual partner. Lifting their own swords to the air, Ryuu and Tora quietly chant the awakening of their zanpakutos.

"Awaken, Amaterasu Neria."

An explosion of the blackest of black and whitest of white reiatsu filled the area, engulfing Tora within it. The reiatsu spreads, burning some few hollows in its dispersion as Tora emerges, her face shadowed by the now released scythe. Her small black glowed hand held the silver bladed shaft as it rose, connected by a clear crystal to the yin yang blade. To her left stood Ryuu, tall and intimidating, his metal fisted hands covered elbow high in gloved blades.

Tora leaps, her body twisting through the air as she strikes as many bone masks as she sees. The screams slowly diminish until only a group of 50 hollow remain. Six large hollow hold the outside defenses, their blood red eyes daring the shinigami to move forward.

Suddenly, six spirit energies drop from Tora and Ryuu's senses. "No, oh no…" Ryuu's eyes widen at the gargantuan hollow as it rises from its spot, over shadowing the dead bodies of their fallen comrades. "BANKAI!" The anger induced scream shakes Ryuu from his core. Slowly, he turns, his eyes glued on the tornado forming around his twin sister.

Her red hair whips around her face, her eyes almost the same shade as her hair. The tornado of wind, water, rocks, and fire quickly engulfs her. Snapping his head back to the hollow, he watches in awe as the small and two of the larger fall to the radiation of her reiatsu. "Tora…," his small mumble cuts off as the tornado explodes out, sending debris and trees flying. Slowy, Tora walks forward, her red hair elongated to the center of her back, surrounded on both sides by two large wings of pure white. His eyes trail down both arms towards the two swords. The left sword as thin as a foil and blue as the sky with a small slit between the blade. In the right, she was shackled by the wrist to a blade of the lightest orange with a fire red center.

"Amaterasu Neria."

Her arm suddenly lashes out, sending a whip of fire straight for the menos grande standing in front of her. It's black caped body went up in flames of green and orange. A cry of agony chilled the air, and Ryuu turns away, his eyes burning due to the stench of burning dead flesh. "Ryuu, we need to defeat the rest now, before even more show up." Her blood red eyes held him in a look of anger and determination. Gently rolling his shoulder, he nods, and they once again fly through the air. Their eyes set on the group of hollow that remains.

Tora sighs as she strikes down even more hollow. Their screams chilling her heart and destroying her mentality. "You bastards deserve to die….for my comrades." Kicking off of the masked face as it dissolves, she propels herself into the chest of another hollow. Her sword quickly sliced its flesh and cut its mask. Leaping backwards, sweat pooling on her brow, she warily scans the air for more enemies. Panting, she watches as Ryuu destroys the remaining hollow with his frozen lightning bankai, before gazing sadly at the bodies of her dead friends.

"Tora-chan, they're all gone." Jumping at the sound of her brother's scratchy voice, she sadly turns back to him. "Alright, come on, we have to open a senkai gate and report to the old man." Nodding solemly, he quickly opens the gate. "Hurry, I want them to die in their homeland, not here, in this cold dark battlefield." Tora's eyes shine sadly, and her dirt covered tan face looks older. "Hai, taicho." Gently, the two fire haired shinigami lifted their fallen comrades, their friends, their family, and made for the grassy field of squad four's barracks.

Ryuu quickly steps back onto the rooftop, watching as his sister lifts another comrade into her blood stained arms. Her water filled eyes gaze into the brunette's closed ashen face. Slowly, he lifts his eyes, giving her privacy to say goodbye. Looking to his left, the flicker of black catching his peripheral vision, he suddenly fills with hope. Hope that there might possibly be one left, one of his friends had survived. Then everything freezes.

His wide eyes stare as a large scale skinned hollow raises from the hidden groove of two buildings. All sounds leave his ears, all except the sound of his beating heart, his slowly beating heart. Suddenly, all the sounds hit him. The sound of his howl of rage, the sound of the monsters earsplitting scream, even the sound of the wind as he shun'po's through the air. Raising his zanpakuto, high and proud, he fiercely brings it down upon the mask of the monster.

Tora watches, her eyes wide and body rigid with fear as her brother drages his blade through the mask of the hollow. The holllow beings to scream, a gargled word splitting through the air. "DIIIIIIiiiiiieee!" Suddenly, its clawed arm slams into Ryuu, striking one claw through his chest. Blood floats through the air, drenching Tora and the ground. 'H-how, how is there so much blood?' Slowly, his body falls, dead weight as the hollow shatters behind him. She watches, barely registering her running forward, as Ryuu falls. His hair whips around his face, his black uniform cocooning his body.

"Ryuuu!" The shrill, pain filled scream echoes across the sky as Tora catches her brother. Quickly, her body collapses beneath the dead weight of his form, and she cradles him to her body. "T-tora-taicho," he says, his voice no louder than a rasp. "No, I am Tora, your sister." He smiles gently up at his sister, blood dripping from his eyes and lips. "R-Ryuu, I'm so sorry," Tora buries her face into his hair. "I couldn't protect you." Tears stream down her face, dampening his hair, and she inhales the smell of oranges and mint. "Tora-chan….I love you…always. R-remember that….T-take m-my,…. Sword." Leaning back, she locks eyes with him, and he smiles painfully, blood trickling down his chin. "Th-then…I….c-can always…protect….you."

Chocking on despair, Tora once again pulls her brother close to her chest, not caring about the blood soaking her to the bone. "Ryuu-san, I love you to. I'll always love you." Kissing his forehead, she chokes back another sob as his last sigh of a breath leaves his body. "G-goodbye, Ryuu." Laying his body back onto the ground, she lifts her head, releasing the mournful screams of a broken soul to the air, to the moon, to anything that would take them.

Minutes pass by before she is up again, standing on weak legs and grasping her bleeding side in pain. Slowly, she lifts her brother into her arms, and carries him across the wooden gateway. Silently, she lays his body on the ground in soul society. Then she gazes upon the nine dead bodies lain before her, the dead bodies of her family and friends. "I am sorry for my inability to protect you all. May the gods light your pathways to the last life and let your souls rest in peace." Solemnly, she turns away, and walks back through the senkai gate, placing Ryuu's sword in her obi as she walks. One lone tear streaks down her cheek as she closes the gate behind her. "Good bye, my dearest and closest friends."

* * *

Alright, well let me know what guys think. Please review, ideas are being completely accepted ^_^ though no promises they will be used.


	2. Chapter 1: New captain

HEARTS OF ICE

A Toshiro Hitsugaya fanfic

**Shikaboo:** Okay peoples, we all know the drill, I do-

**Kaien:** I WANNA SAY IT!

**Shikaboo:** 0_e okay? Go for it...

**Kaien:** XD SHIKABOO DOES NOT OWN BLEACH OR ANY OF THE CHARACTERS...-

**Gin:** For her own characters and plot turns =D

**Kaien:** D={ DOUCHE! She said I could saaaay iiiit~

**Gin:** d= well I want'd ta toooooo~

**Shikaboo:** Are you guys the one that had all the cake?

**Kaien:** Nuuuupe

**Gin:...**...it was crack (XD

**Shikaboo:** 0_o Oh...Shit...You did not?

**Kaien: **I didn't~ I just ate the cake ^_^

*WHACK*

**Shikaboo:** No one likes a tattle tale Kaien =_=

**Kaien:** ='''O WHYYYYYYYYYYYYYYyyyyyyyyyyyy'

**Gin: **Yer so whinyyy

***WHACK***

**Shikaboo:** AND YOU DIDN'T SHAAAARE D=

**Gin:** /o.o\ Sorry

**Shikaboo: **Damn straight, now say your lines my script slaves}={D

**Gin and Kaien:** !

**Gin:** I don' wanna go back ta da toy room (shudders) oh gods

**Kaien:** Please, for the love of all that is good and holy, do something in return for the chapter

**Toshiro:** Even though it is quite crappy

**Gin/Kaien:** 0.o oh shit biscuit.

**Shikaboo:** }=O Shiro said what now? (Raises large watermelon)

**Toshiro: **That he looooooooves your chapter sooooooooooo much~

**Shikaboo: **LIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIES (throws watermelon into guillotine) Say bye bye to the watermelon

**Gin/Kaien:** Buh-bye mister watermelon ^_^

**Toshiro:** D; 

*SMASH*~ and that's how ya ruin a midgets happy moment.

^o^ ENJOOOOOOY~

CHAPTER 1-New Captain 

Toshiro P.O.V

"MATUSMOTO…" The low growl emanates from my chest as I stare at the passed out and drooling lieutenant. Her hand slightly twitches before tightening around the very empty bottle of sake beside it.

Slowly, I step over the redundant pile of paperwork, unfinished paperwork to be more precise. "Matsumoto!" Her strawberry lips form a smirk before a small squeal escapes them. "Oh~ Shuuhei," she suddenly stretches out, her *cough* assets almost losing their cover. "Nuuuu~ don't do thah…heeeheee." I can feel my left eye twitching as I watch her cheeks flush to god only knows what fantasy.

"Matsumoto, wake the hell up or I'm going to throw all of your sake into the dukongai."

Nothing. Hm?

Oh, wait….waaaaaaaiiiiit.

"NO TAICHO PLEASEE!"

There we go.

Matsumoto's head abruptly pops up, her eyes wide and genuine fear shining bright within them. Slowly, her pupils dilate to the bright light of the morning sun, and she recoils, wincing in obvious pain from her hangover. Sighing in exasperation, I lift the glass of water and pain killers to her eye level. Feverishly, she gulps them down, smiling thankfully up at me.

"Get ready, you have work to do." She flinches openly at the ice of my words, and nods solemnly like a puppy after having its nose rubbed in the carpet. "Hai, taicho."

Quickly, she lifts from the couch and shuffles out of the room, heading for her barracks. Before closing the door, she spares on last saddened glance towards me, her blue eyes holding me for a second. Then she's gone.

Sighing, I make my way to the desk covered in paperwork. Routine, work, train; they are the only things keeping me sane anymore. If I didn't have this, if I was still in the Rukongai, I would have committed suicide. This icy deterioration of my soul, it's been growing, relentlessly eating away at my very being. 'All I want, is to be happy again.'

Rangiku's reiatsu suddenly appears outside of the doorway, and I set my brush down, waiting for her to enter. Slowly, the door opens, and a dejected Rangiku walks in, sliding the door shut quietly, unceremoniously. It's not like her, to be so silent and depressed. 'I probably went too far….again.' Somehow, this thought barely flickers any sense of guilt or sadness. Just a small squirm of negative emotion pulls on my gut before disappearing completely.

As she sits down at her own desk, a flicker of movement catches our eyes. We watch as the black hell butterfly flies in, the teal colored tendons contrasting the black of its wings. Quickly, I reach my hand up, waiting for it to land and relay the message its carrying.

MESSAGE

'Good morning Hitsugaya-taicho and Matsumoto-fukutaicho. Sotaicho Yamamoto requests your attendance in his office immediately. A reminder, he requests only the presence of Hitsugaya-taicho and Matsumoto-fukutaicho of squad ten.

END MESSAGE

The hell butterfly swiftly flies from the room, its purpose served. After it has gone from sight, I look back at Rangiku. Raising an eyebrow, she shrugs before standing. Slowly, I stand as well, questions swimming around my mind. "Ready taicho?" I nod, and we quickly flash step from the office.

Why does he only request our presence? Does he have a mission specifically for our squad? No, it wouldn't be so urgent or classified. There have been no hollow alerts or anything related to hollows for weeks now. Did my squad commit a crime without knowledge? No, I would have known of something so ridiculous. What could it possibly be?

Abruptly, we stop in front of the first squad gate. They soon admit us and we make our way to the captain-commander's office. A sense of anxiousness swelled inside my gut with every step we take, leading us closer to the room. This is too veiled, what is he hiding?

Matsumoto steps ahead, raising her hand to knock the door. "Ready captain?" No. "Just knock Matsumoto," she nods, and knocks quickly. We stand quietly, waiting for the command to enter. Silently, the doors slide open to reveal the eternally smiling face of Captain Unohana. "Good morning Hitsugaya-taicho, Matsumoto fukutaicho." She steps aside, waving for us to enter. "Good morning Unohana-taicho," Matsumoto replies cheerily while I merely nod in response.

Once inside, we bow quickly to the captain commander. His old eyes gently slide open, and he captures my glance, holding me in an intense stare down. A feeling of anxiousness washes over me, drowning me in thoughts, as I try to find the conclusion to why we're all here.

Suddenly, a very abnormal and rare chuckle fills the room. Glancing back up, I watch as the old man strokes his mustache with a wicked grin on his face. "I Can see that mind of yours at work, Hitsugaya-taicho. Please, enlighten me as to what you are thinking." Inhaling sharply, I quickly choose my words. "I am just confused about why exactly we were summoned here. That's all, Yamamoto-Sotaicho." Nodding in understanding, he stands from the behind the table and raises his hand towards Unohana. "Unohana-taicho, please, bring our dear Hayashi-taicho in." She smiles and nods before moving to the wall closest to her.

She gently tapped the wall before slowly pushing it open. It slides open, slowly revealing a white, captain garbed figure. Standing in the doorway is a small woman. Her face is hidden by a straw hat, but her blood red hair cascades around her hat, and falls down her shoulder.

"Ohayo, Hitsugaya-taicho, Matsumoto-fukutaicho. I am Captain Tora Hayashi of Squad 14." My eyes narrow at her. "Since when has there been a Squad 14?" Her head lifts, revealing a sorrowful smile below her shadowed eyes. "Well Captain, you won't have to worry about squad 14 showing up anytime soon." She hums softly while stepping into the room. 'Her voice is so…sad and cold.'

"Hitsugaya-taicho, what is squad 14?," Matsumoto whispers in my ear, her very privileged assets almost hitting me in the face. "Oh my, looks like you're going to have to explain it to them, Yamamoto-taicho. I don't think I can tell the whole story correctly." She speaks with a quiet, almost emotionless, voice. " Yes, we should tell them," Yamamoto sighs quietly, and waves for us to sit. We kneel slowly in front of him. I keep my eyes glued to the woman as she kneels beside Unohana-taicho, her body is rigid and straight. 'Who are you?'

"It would be wise for you to pay attention to this story, Hitsugaya-taicho." Turning my head back, nod in embarrassment. "Hai, Sotaicho." He spares me one last glance before beginning his story.

"2 thousand years ago, when the soul society was first created, the Gotei 13 were installed. Captains, lieutenants, royal blood, all of it affecting the power. However, there were ten shinigami which possessed much power. Their reiatsu, if combined, was more powerful than the whole Gotei 13 and Royal houses put together. Those ten shinigami were Akako Mori, Akebono Takahashi, Heiwa Yamaguchi, Tadashi Nakamura, Arashi Sasaki, Shizu Sasaki, Sayo Yamazaki, Ichi Matsumoto, and finally, Gaara and Ai Kato.

After a long debate of what should come of these overly powerful shinigami, the top most powerful of the Shinigami and Royal houses came to a decision. We created a Squad 14 as a secret squad. This squad was to reside on Earth. It's purpose was to protect living souls from overly powerful creatures…not just hollow. Ai Kato was the first captain, her twin brother, Gaara, was her lieutenant. Unfortunately, Ai was reported as killed a century later. The next natural choice was Gaara. After his promotion to Captain, he appointed Heiwa Yamaguchi to be his lieutenant. The team stayed like that for hundreds of years, their headquarters hidden in the Living world.

Soon, though, two young twins with immense power were found. A boy and a girl, both with blood red hair. Their names were Ryuu and Tora Hayashi. Gaara immediately took them under his wing."

I feel my eyes widen in surprise before once again narrowing as I scrutinize the petite woman. 'She's still stiff, but her face is full of sorrow once again. Why is this?'

"Would you prefer to continue the story on from there, Hayashi-taicho?" She nods once. "Hai, Sotaicho." Looking up, she turns her body as to face us.

"Gaara-taicho trained us, and we quickly learned. After a year or so, Ryuu and I were both placed as 3rd seats. After a few decades, there was a large group of hollows, led by a very crazed bount. They decided to attack a small town in South America, and we naturally went in to stop them. Unfortunately, we lost our lieutenant, Heiwa Yamaguchi."

A small smile suddenly lifted her lips.

"I remember, she used to scold Ryuu and I for always playing with our enemies too much. She really did hate battle."

Another larger smile grew on her face, but it's still held with a cold and sad hollowness.

"She always grew so anxious over how much candy and sweets Ryuu and I would eat."

Shaking her head, she releases a sigh and frowned.

"Gaara-taicho appointed me as lieutenant, knowing I had already obtained Bankai. For the next few decades, we lived in a virtually peaceful time. However, Gaara-taicho fell in love, with a wonderful woman. Her name was Hoshi Abarai. Soon after, he left for the real world, appointing me as Captain."

Again, she releases a shaky breath. Reaching her hand up, she gingerly readjusts her straw hat and moves her hair back across her left shoulder.

"As captain, I appointed a skilled man to lieutenant. His name was Hisoka Kato, the younger brother of Gaara-taicho and Ai-taicho. However, he showed his true colors quickly by gaining control over an army of hollow with his zanpakuto. He attempted and unfortunately succeeded in killing innocent people, trying to make himself stronger with the collection of their souls. My brother and I quickly took him down, and handed him over to Yamamoto-Sotaicho and council 46. He was executed immediately."

She slowly unclenched her fists from their entanglement in her robes, her body shaking ever so slightly.

"My squad soon appointed my brother as lieutenant. A couple centuries passed with a few rambunctious hollows here and there, but nothing out of the ordinary. Then, it all changed."

My eyes widen as she suddenly removes her hat, looking up at us with mist filled green eyes. Slowly, she breathes out, holding my eyes with hers in a steady gaze.

"My squad and I were alerted to a sudden increase of hollow attacks in the city of Karakura town. We waited there, two nights ago. They had all been coming through this one area, right by the University, so we waited. Soon, a few started coming, then…..hundreds. Moving quickly, we began to take them down, but they were still coming in hundreds."

Her eyes widen, becoming distant and glazed over. 'She's reliving it.' A feeling of dread grips my chest as I watch a lone tear streak down her face.

"It was an ambush. My teammate, 4th seat Hakumei, was the first to fall. Then Akako, Tadashi, Akebono, and Cho. She was going to open the gate to get reinforcements."

Another tear escapes her eye, and my chest clenches, seeing it all to well in my mind.

"All too soon, it was just Ryuu and myself left standing. Our comrades had fought ferociously and vigilantly. They took down hundreds of hollows, unfortunately, there was more play behind the scenes then we knew of. Only 50 or so remained. We took them all down…or so we had thought."

We watch silently as she stops and quickly wipes the on pouring tears from her eyes. "Sorry," she mumbles, and looks out the window. The morning sun shines in, highlighting the red and yellow flecks within her irises. Sighing, she resumes her story.

"I opened the gate, leading back to the Fourth Squad. We carried our fallen team mates over with hopes of saving them or at least giving them a well deserved peaceful goodbye. After I had come back through, I was retrieving one last fallen teammate, Cho. I don't know how, but a hollow had survived. It was huge, with an intelligence beyond that of a common hollow. It had hidden it's reiatsu and waited until we were vulnerable.

"Ryuu soon spotted it and readily jumped in to take it down. He had sliced its mask, but…but the monster had pierced him through the chest with a claw before he could finish. I was too late to notice the hollow, and too late to save my own brother. He died in my arms."

Her dried tears suddenly rejuvenated into sobs. "H-he saved me, and I owe him and every fallen comrade my life. I had let them down….I let them down." Her last words were barely audible through her sobs. She clutches her chest, directly where her heart is located. Slowly, she shakes her head and calms down enough to finish her gruesome tale.

"Crossing back and forth, I finished our previous task of moving our fallen comrades. After one last time, I went back to check for anything useful, or any forgotten hollow. Unfortunately, I had lost a lot of blood and collapsed some time after that. I later woke up in the Squad 4 barracks."

She looks at us, eyes distant and cold, before once again replacing her hat atop her head. "I am sorry for my weakness while telling the story. Forgive me, Yamamoto-Sotaicho." Her voice is merely a whisper as she bows her head. "There is no need for apologies. I do not view your tears as weakness, but as respect and anguish for those who have passed on," Unohana-taicho relates, her voice calm and quiet. "I agree, do not apologize, you are in grieving." Yamamoto's voice is gruff, but his rarely opened eyes are gentle.

After a few moments, I find my voice again. "Hayashi-taicho, I am sorry for your loss and pain." My voice sounds sad and sincere, yet there is still an icy shell around the words. Surprisingly, she looks up at me and smiles her melancholy smile again. "Don't be, they all fought bravely." Her eyes hold me in another steady gaze, I slowly begin to fall into the solemn sea of green. Coughing lightly, I break our stare only to move my eyes to the floor.

"Now then, Hitsugaya-taicho, you are probably wondering why I summoned you here and revealed Squad 14's secret to you." I nod quickly, narrowing my eyes once again. "The reason, quite simply, is because I want you and your squad to take in Hayashi-taicho. She will act as a second captain, and she will follow most of your orders." He smiles wryly at the scowl on my face as I quirk an eyebrow. "Most of my orders?" He locks me into a stern glare before smiling wryly once again. "Yes, most. First of all she is a Captain, and if she does not agree with a decision you make, she may challenge it any way she wishes. Secondly, basically her strengths out weigh your own." My mouth drops, and I glance a the girl again. 'She is stronger than me?'

"She will move in today, after this meeting. Her possessions have already been moved to your office." I nod quietly. "And she will be treated with the equal respect as any other Captain." Yamamoto's voice commands respect, giving the order in a stern grumble. My eyes fall half lidded, and my expression becomes nonchalant. "Hai, Yamamoto-Sotaicho." I've never liked taking orders. He nods once, dismissing us.

My eyes fall onto the girl once again, gauging her reaction. "Hayashi-taicho, are you ready to come with us?," I ask, my voice ringing hollow in my own ears. "Hai, Hitsugaya-taicho." She begins to stand, stumbling once. Her body trembles lightly as she stands on weak legs. Facing me, her pained eyes suddenly close as she falls to her knees.

Matsumoto runs to her side quickly as Unohana rubs her shoulder in comfort. "Would you like more medicine?" She numbly shakes her head. "N-no, that will not be necessary. Thank you, though." Her voice is soft as she suddenly looks up at Matsumoto. "I could use some assistance, though. It seems I'm still too weak to stand on my own." Matsumoto nods, and gingerly lifts the small captain in her arms.

"Oh, thank you, but I just meant assistance with standing," her face covers in a blush almost as dark as her hair. Matsumoto's laugh rings in my ears as she gently places the captain on her feet again. "Hai, sorry Hayashi-taicho." She waves her small hand at the taller woman. "Please, call me Tora," she smiles lightly. Oooh, bad mistake.

Matsumoto's face lights up like a child on Christmas. She lunges for the small woman, pulling her into a large hug with the small woman pressed to her over flowing breasts. 'The poor girl's going to suffocate.' I frown at the thought, and quickly start towards the two. "GAH!" A small broken gasp escapes the confines of Matsumoto's bust. "Matsumoto!" My voice is quiet, and she ignores it. "Oh, Captain Tora, you're so kind! Hitsugaya-taicho never…" Another vein bulges from my forehead as my lieutenant rambles on, strangling the petite woman within her breasts. "MATSUMOTO, PUT. HER. DOWN!"

My yelling shakes the office walls, and Matsumoto's eyes pop open wide. She quickly drops the young captain, and we watch as she falls dead weight into Unohana's arms. "OH~! I'm so sorry Tora-taicho. Oh gods, she's going to hate me, oh no~" Crocodile tears overflow from Matsumoto's eyes as she stares down at the unconscious woman.

Shaking my head in exasperation, I walk forward and take the small woman in my arms. "Thank you, Unohana-taicho." She merely nods and smiles before departing from the room as well. "Let's go Matsumoto. She'll stay in the room near the office." Instantly sobering up, she flashes a smile and nods. We quietly step outside and flash step back to the Squad 10 office barracks. Once inside, we gently lay her on one of the many couches. Her hair gently tickles the side of my neck as I lower her to the cushions, it sends tingles down my back making me twitch uncomfortably.

"Taicho, what should I do with her things?" Looking over, I glance at the few boxes and suitcase sitting in front of the doorway. "We'll take them inside the room, but I think it would be better to let her unpack." My half lidded eyes match the missing emotion from my voice. She nods, and we quickly move all the luggage into her room.

* * *

"Do you think she'll like it here, Taicho?," Matsumoto asks, stars in her eyes as she stare at the sleeping girl. Grunting, I shrug, not taking my eyes off of the paperwork at hand. "Matsumoto, shouldn't you be doing paperwork instead of fussing over the sleeping woman?," I emotionlessly inquire, raising one silver eyebrow at her. She freezes at the cold bite in my voice and ever so slowly turns her head my way. "Uh, oh, I seem to have forgotten something! Oh that's right, I promised Renji I would train with him! Bye bye Taicho~!" Then she's gone, door slamming shut, leaving me behind with the monstrous pile of paperwork.

"Training my ass, she better not come back drunk off her rocker again," grumbling, I dip my brush into the ink to start another sheet.

* * *

A small ruffling suddenly interrupts my hours of paperwork. Freezing, I glance up, watching as the red haired girl rolls onto her back with her arm flopping off to the side. Her face contorts into one of pain, lips parted and eyes squeezed tightly. Raising from my spot behind the large desk, I slowly walk over to her. Laying my hand atop her flushed face, I watch completely mesmerized as her features slowly soften. Her eyes relax and the creases of stress disappear from her face. Sighing, I slowly remove my cool hand from her face and walk back to my desk. 'What are you dreaming about?'

I take gradual and easy strokes, filling out the last of my paperwork. A sudden loud gasp fills my ears, and my arm jerks. Teal eyes wide, I look over at the now wide awake Captain. Her back is rigid as her wide eyes stare at the ceiling, her mouth open in a soundless scream, and her face and neck covered in a light sheen of sweat. 'She's…scared. Her eyes say it all.' Looking back down at my desk, I groan loudly and slap my hand to my forehead. A huge black streak of ink now resides thanks to my surprised lurching limbs.

"Taicho, are you alright?," I ask, unexpectedly, I hear honest concern laced into my voice. Her eyes snap to my face, and she slowly twists her lips into a fake smile. "Oh yes, thank Hitsugaya-taicho. I just had a bad dream." Her smile fades into a frown, and her eyes dull. "I'm sorry for surprising you." I watch as she stands, her body stiff."Hayashi-taicho, how serious is your injury?" Her eyes fall to the floor. "I apologize if I am prying, I'm just concerned." She looks at me through the curtain of her hair before slowly sitting down once again. A grimace of pain crosses her features but is quickly wiped away. "I have a slash across my back and just a few bruises and cuts." Feeling uncomfortable sitting behind my desk, I walk to the couch she is currently sitting on, and rest beside her. "Do you think you are well enough to begin unpacking, or would you rather rest?" She glances at me with a raised eyebrow, smirking my nervous tone. I groan internally at the blush attempting to cross my cheeks. "If you don't mind, I'd rather go to my room and begin unpacking." She smiles shyly at me. The genuine kindness in her smile cause my own to try to form, but I'm not quite sure how it came out.

Coughing lightly, I stand and offer her my arm in hopes of relieving her pain. Looking at me, shock clear on her face, she takes my arm. Her eyes scrunch in pain, but she stands easily. A blush runs across her cheeks, and she drops her eyes along with her hand. "Arigato, Hitsugaya-taicho." I nod, resisting the urge to smirk at how beautiful she suddenly looks with a blush staining her tan cheeks. She stiffly walks around the middle of the room, heading for her room.

"Um, Hitsugaya-taicho?," her voice breaks the silence, timbered with shyness. "Yes?" I sit at my desk, gazing up at her. "Which is my room?" A shy, sheepish smile covers her face. Sweat dropping, I point to the black painted door. She chuckles lightly, waving away her embarrassment. "Thank you, taicho." She says it so quietly, I almost missed it. "Ah, it's nothing." She smiles again, her face almost fooling me out of the sadness hidden in the depths of her eyes. Nodding at her, I watch as she walks out of the room.

'Welcome to Squad 10, Tora Hayashi.' An apprehensive feeling knots in my stomach at the thought of her name. Shaking my head clear of it, I pull Matsumoto's pile out of the drawer beside me. Slowly, I begin yet another paper from the immortal pile. 'She's so sad. I wonder how long it will be until she can finally smile again without having to hide the anguish in her eyes. It's amazing that she can even fake a smile after witnessing the deaths of all those she held dear.' Frowning, my eyebrows scrunch together in frustration. 'I doubt I would be able to do it.'

My stomach suddenly plummets at the sound of Tora's pained gasp coming from her room. A cacophony of breaking glass and crashing fills my ears moments later, and I jump up. Rushing to the door, I open it loudly.

Peering inside, I feel my mouth drop and eyes widen.


End file.
